Cutting mechanism for harvesting machines



May 5, 1925.

Filed Feb. l2I 1923 2 Sl'eets-Sheet 2 i wg jin/wh Y 35 j@ 7 W l patented May 5, 1925.

UNTED STATES lsila PATENT FFCE.

FREDERICK W. MEI-ILS, F THIEF RIVER FALLS, MXNNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF FOREV- NINE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JOI-1N H. FULTON, OF THEZ- RIVER FALLS, MINNE- CUTTING MECHANSM FOR HABVESTENG ItIACIIINES.

Application filed February 12, 1923. Serial No. 618,577.

To all whom t may concern."

Be it known that I, Fnnnnnicn iV. Mimes, a citizen of the United States, residing at lhief River Falls, in the county of Pennington and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cutting Mechanisms for Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings.

Tiis invention relates to certain improvements in cutting mechanisms of harvesting machines and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of ths general character comprising a guard consisting of a plurality of separable sections and wherein each ofV said sections carries a rotatable cutting element.

lt is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character wherein the cuttng mechanism embodies a guard consisting' of a plurality of sections, each of said sections carrying a rotating cutting member together with means for driving all of the cutting members from a single source of power.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved cutting mechanism for harvesting machines whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereii'iafter more fully set. forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

ln order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein 2- Y Figure l is a View in top plan of a cutting mechanism for a harvest-ing machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; j

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in top plan of adjacent sections comprised in the cutting mechanism;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3h?) ,of Figure l;

Figure 4t is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4 4; of Figure 2, with the top or cover plate in position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure e illustrating in detail a portion of the driving means for the rotating cutting elements carried by the sections.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, l denotes a finger bar connected to the machine proper in a conventional manner and which is provided adjacent each end with a conventional slice 2. Associated with the bar l is a plurality of guard sections S.

The guard sections S are of duplcate construction and each comprises a body 3 provided with the forwardly directed fingers et and smaller fingers /l rthe rear 'all of the body 3 is provided with an outstanding perforated ear 5 which underlies the bar l and whereby the section is held to said bar l by the coacting nut and bolt 6 or otherwse as may be preferred. rlhe sides of each of the sections S are straight and at right angles to the longitudinal body so that when the section is applied the sides thereof will have close Contact with the sides of the adjacent sections.

The body 3 at its rear portion has d'sposed therethrough the longitudinally directed bore having1 its oppositie end portions as at 7 and 7h enlarged.

Disposed through the bore 7 .is a shaft section 8 having one end portion provided with a. reduced extension 9 angular in cross section and on which extension is slidably mounted a sleeve l0 provided at its outer end with the ratchet teeth ll whereby said sleeve l0 serves as a coupling` device. The sleeve l0 is snugly engaged within a bushing lill fitted within the enlarged portion 'le of the bore 7.

The sleeve or clutch element l0 is constantly urged outwardly by the expansible member la herein disclosed as a coil spring encircling the intermediate portion of the shaft 8 and interposed between the sleeve 10 and a washer l5 surrounding the shaft 8. This wash-er l5 is immediately adjacent to a worm 16 carried by the shaft 8. Mounted on the shaft 8 outwardly of but immediately adjacent to the worin 16 is a second sleeve or coupling device 17 provided at its outer end with the ratchet teeth 18 whereby the sleeve 1T also serves as a clutching member, said sleeve being keyed'to the shaft S for rotation therewith. interposed between the worm i6 and the inner end of the sleeve l? a washer 19.

The worm 1G is positioned at the inner axis of the Cit part of the second enlarged portion 7l) of the bore 7 with the washer 15 in contact with the shoulder 2O whereby endwise movement of the shaft in one direction is prevented. Endwise movement of the shaft S in the opposite direction is prevented by contactof the washer 19 with the inner end of the bushing 21 inserted within the second enlarged portion 7" outwardly of but immediately adjacent to the worm 1G.

When the sections S are assembled upon the bar 1 the sleeve 10 of one of said sections is operatively engaged with the sleeve or clutch member 17 of an adjacent section so that under normal conditions the shafts S and all of the sections may rotate in unison.

The shafts 8 may be rotated in any desired manner and as herein disclosed an end section S has its shaft 8 coupled by a universal joint 22 with a sha-ft 23. rl'he shaft 2S is adapted to be driven in any desired manner but preferably from a movable part of the harvesting machine proper. As disclosed in Figure 1, 2A- diagrammatically indicates a drive shaft operatively engaged by the gear 25 with a gear 26 loosely mounted upon the shaft 23. The gear 2b' is provided with a clutch element 2T with which is normally engaged a clutch element 28 mounted for sliding movement upon the shaft 23 but rotating therewith. rPhe clutch element 28 is normally maintained in working engagement with the clutch element 27 by the expansible member or spring 29 but upon undue resistance being oli'ered to the rota-tion of the shaft 23 the clutch element 28 will yield suliiciently to prevent continued rotation of the shaft.

rPhe portion 7b of the bore 7 to one side of the applied worm 16 is transversely enlarged as at 30 and extending upwardly from the bottom or base wall of this enlarged portiont) is a stud or fixed shaft 31. Loosely mounted on the stud or shaft 31 is a worm gear 82 operatively engaged with the worm 16.

The worm gear 32 is provided with an upstanding hub 33 which projects slightly above the upper face of the associated section S and keyed or otherwise iixed to said upper or extended portion of the hub 33 is the rotary cutter C. rllhe cutter C as herein disclosed comprises a plurality of substantially radially disposed blades 3st and said blades are of such a length to effectively cut the standing gra-in or the like received between the fingers it.

Overlying the top face ofthe body 3 and the smaller linger la of each of the sections S is a cover plate P. The inner portion of the largeiinger 4 of the section at its top is provided with an undercut shoulder 35 and a portion of the plate P underlies the shoulder in a manner whereby the portion of the cover plate P adjacent to the large finger L1 is substantially in continuation of the upper face of said linger. The plate P may be held to the section S in any desired manner and in order that the cutter C may have requisite rotation when the plate P isy applied, the under surface of the plate P is cut away as at 3G.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a cutting mechanism for a harvesting machine constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use byv reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understoodv as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

l claim A cutting mechanism for harvesters or the like comprising a bar, a plurality of separable guard sections secured to said bar, a shaft mounted within each of the sections, the shafts of the sections beingrv substantially aligned when theI sections are applied to the bar, a coupling connection between the shafts of adjacent sections when applied. the shaft of each section being provided with a worm, a worm wheel coacting with the worm of the shaft, said wheel being supported by thel section, a cutting element operatively engaged with the worm wheel, the coupling connection between vthe shafts of adjacent sections comprising two interlocking sleeve elements, each being carried by an adjacent shaft, said coupling connection pern'iitting the shaft sections to be disconnected when the cutter' mechanism is disassen'ibled. and meansfor constantly urging the interlocking sleeve elements together when in operative or assembledy position.

1n testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature.

FREDERICK lll. MEHLS. 

